RIDING IN THE DARK

November is definitely here. It's dark in the morning and barely gets light all day unless the sun peaks out. Lots of showers today and wind. Took a walk with Mary and Cassie along the water during a semi dry spell. Lovely and warm and windy.
After shoveling, I took Black Elk out again, today with just a halter, as he is fussing with the bit being put in his mouth. I want to just have as long as I need to work in tiny steps getting him OK with the bit again, and since it was already pretty dusky and I wanted to ride, I put it off for another day.

So I lunged him a bit and then did our mounting block routine. He is way to big for me to get on without steps!  He has been standing beautifully for the most part, but not today. I did not work with him on the ground as long as ususal, because I was really running out of light. Sometimes you really get it that is never pays to hurry. We went back and forth about me getting on. He'd move away, I'd move him back, he'd move backwards, I'd move him frontwards. After about 4 of those every time he moved away I sent him off in circles. Brought him back. Same routine, circles again. Then I got out the lunge whip. He moved away, and I moved him back with the whip in my hand. Never touched him, but after that he stood.
I got on.

Over night he seemed to have grasped the steering thing. He was able to go around the outside of the arena with no big issues. Wow! huge improvement. Then we went in our 24 meter circle. Well, he's a big horse, why not? He had that down pretty well too. So, then we trotted a bit. I am so amazed at the comfort of this huge trot. It's like a big old fashioned caddy. No need to post. It's like floating on a cloud. Now, it's true this is his SLOW trot, things might be different when he really gets going. This guy has gears, low and slow and big and  ground covering. We have not been in the ground covering trot as yet..but soon, yes, soon.